Conversion
by anatagasuki
Summary: Fuuko is on a hard quest to help a friend...a friend in love with Mikagami Tokiya, the hottest homo in town.
1. Happy Homecoming, Or Otherwise

STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY.

A/N: Hi! This is me, again. Ha, ha, ha. This is dedicated to all those who supported my first multi-chapter, Till I Met You.

I hope people would support this as much as they supported Till I Met You.

Again, special thanks to eirist, yanagi-chyan, satomika, syNemYoA, Fay01, tetsutakarai, kikumaru-lover, mikaro, cabbageforthepeople, icemaiden-darkangel, Suryasree, Nils, Mimil Bacon and malo for their untiring guidance and the reviews! Thanks guys! zI salute you for being able to digest my amateur fic for that long. XD

On with the prologue!

**Prologue  
****Happy Homecoming…or Otherwise**

"Yanagi…will you marry me?"

Everyone sweatdropped as Recca kneeled in front of his hime, chanting his proposal.

"Recca, buddy." Domon patted his friend's shoulder. "If Yanagi does find a husband other than you, she'd be sure that he knows sign language. Hearing all this stuff you whine to her, even I went deaf. How terrible could you possibly be when you two are alone?"

The fire master glared at his big pal. "It's called singing."

"Still sounds like whining to me."

Fuuko secretly smiled at the childish bickering of her two friends. Ah, it's nice to be home. Of course, she's not exactly the type of woman who hates adventure, yet looking at the lovely cherry blossoms, feeling the bright ray of sunshine on her skin, the wind goddess couldn't ask for more.

Her eyes caught glimpse of her other "acquaintance".

'_Still the same, stubborn pig-head._' She sighed to herself. He snobbish companion shook his hair with elegance as the soft breeze shook it. He still is as conceited as ever. Yet now, his emotionless eyes shone with a glint of sheer happiness. Maybe for others, it's unnoticeable, but she, who had been observing the behaviour of Hokage's ice man since UBS, had keenly noted the sudden change of heart.

Perhaps the knowledge of his sister's true murderer and his final acceptance that his beloved o-neechan can't be physically alive anymore in any woman had given him enough peace to be content.

And what for are they there? To be his friends right?

'_Naw…he won't ever admit that…'_

"Staring at me again, chimp?"

His perfectly arched eyebrow almost made Fuuko puke.

"Not that I'm one of your silly dimwit admirers, man. May I add, _very ladylike_ man?"

Tokiya sent her another death glare. "Shut up your moronic mouth."

She shook her head gloriously and looked away.

Not knowing that a devious glint entered the bishounen's eyes.

'_Everything is going as planned.'_

* * *

"Coming!"

Recca's groan and curse almost brought down the Hanabishi household.

"Shit. Who the hell will visit in past twelve o clock midnight?!"

"Me."

Recca's eyes almost popped out as he took glimpse of the lone figure leaning by the door.

"M-Mikagami?" Recca wiped his sleepy eyes, unbelieving of the sight before him. "What the heck are you here for?"

"Simple, sea monkey." A smirk graced his lovely face.

'_Ladylike…as Fuuko would put it.'_ He rolled his eyes mentally.

"You have to do me a big favor."

And with that, Recca felt his visitor's lean form press on his, a hand being crumpled on his spiky hair.

* * *

A/N: What the hell happened? Why did Mikagami Tokiya visit Recca in an ungodly hour? And what is that favor? Why would the ice berg even bother to be that close to his _'sea monkey'_? Why the heck did the writer make this prologue as short as a kid's finger?

Please read and review. T.T

_anatagasuki_


	2. Symptom 1: The Eye

* * *

A/N: Hello! Thanks for all who reviewed!

Dedicated to ToFuu lovers.

**Chapter 1**

**Symptom 1: The Eye**

"Mi-chan!"

Tokiya felt the sudden weight on his back as a dash of purple entered his vision.

"Kirisawa Fuuko, get down this minute, or else…"

She did pull away, but didn't seem to be fazed one bit by his anger.

"You know, Mi-chan, sometimes it's too fascinating to just make you so angry. Even I can't escape the temptation."

"SHUT. UP."

A chuckle entered his ear and he twitched a brow.

"Where are the others anyway?"

Fuuko looked around before answering his question. "From the answer my eye gave, they're not ten feet from us."

"Sure they aren't. They're _ten centimeters beside_ us." Tokiya snorted as he pointed the grinning fools beside him. "Well, I didn't really expect such accurate information from you."

The purple head grimaced at him. "'Course."

"Will we get going, we just can't stand all day here, can we?"

The others nodded at Yanagi's invitation.

Yet curiously, Tokiya went past her and went straight to the couple in front of them.

Yanagi and Recca.

But not beside Yanagi, but beside the blabbering guy with gravity defying hair.

Fuuko's eyebrow itched upward. _'Huh?'_

* * *

Since that incident, Fuuko had been eyeing Mikagami all day. From the amusement park (which she doubted that Tokiya will never go to, but did so anyway.) to the fastfood restaurant to the movie house.

And like how she's eyeing him, that's exactly how he's eyeing her flame comrade.

'_Getting more and more curious…'_

* * *

"Here comes Mikagami Tokiya, our big head housemate."

Tokiya rolled his eyes at the housemate's remark.

"Don't mind him." Myan smirked. "Some people could be so inconsiderate, tsk, tsk. Not even minding whether we already have something to fill our stomachs while they stroll carelessly and conveniently around."

"Hey, guys!"

"Afiura-neechan!" Myan called on the black haired newcomer. "Where did you come from?"

"Amusement park downtown." She answered exasperatedly. "And you've gotta know who I saw."

"Who?" Myan poked in curiously.

"Who else, but our very own Tokiya Mikagami!"

"OMIGOSH, Toki-chan?"

"Stop calling me Toki-chan!" the silver haired bishie replied irritatedly to the youngest in the house.

Laughter engulfed the room.

"Mi-chan!"

Tokiya felt the same burden that pushed on him that morning again as Fuuko jumped on his back once more.

"What the hell! How the heck did you manage to _break_ inside **MY** house?"

Three pairs of eyes literally popped out as Fuuko waved her hairpin. "Gotta be useful."

"C'mon, _Mi-chan_! Introduce us!" Myan suggested, first to compose herself, mimicking the Mi-chan nickname.

The _don't-pick-that-stupid-nickname-or-else_ glare returned to the giggling long haired teen. Well, that was her original role, picking on him. That's what twelve year olds do, rightie?

He _obviously_ still isn't used to it.

"This is Satomika." He pointed the black haired lass with red and blonde highlights.

"Cool hair you've got there." Fuuko said with a whistle. "And unique name."

"Thanks. Most people think it's weird." She glared at Tokiya, who immediately glowered back just as fierce.

"This is Myan." He continued furthermore. "The kiddo here."

"Who's kiddo?!" the brat bickered back. "I'm as tall as Sato-chan is!"

"STOP USING ON ME THAT NICKNAME!"

"Kids." Tokiya muttered. "And this is Afiura, who happens to be the sane_-nest_ here."

The latter giggled and offered her hand.

After the introductions, Afiura immediately piped in.

"C'mon, guys! Let's go and prepare our lovely visitor dinner!"

"Afiura-neechan, do I get some of that too? I'm absolutely famished!"

"You will, Myan." Afiura chuckled.

The three slithered to the cabin.

"Who is that, Afiura-chan?" she asked curiously.

"Dunno too." She shrugged, frying the chicken. "But if she can do that to Mikagami, then she must be special."

"Yosh!" the girl with flashy locks piped in enthusiastically. "Does that mean they could be…?"

"Wow! This is big time! Tokiya-niisan with a girl!" Myan gawked.

Afiura sweatdropped.

"Well, what do you think, neechan? Toki-chan having a girlfriend would be a good idea, would it?"

"I think so, Myan-kohai." She smiled gently. "I think so."

* * *

"Who are those women, Mi-chan?"

"My housemates." He sighed. "My cousins. Myan is the daughter of my father's brother. Afiura and that girl with a very _out-of-this-planet_ hair came from my mother's side. I just don't know how they managed to stick to each other like glue nor how they managed to convince the hell of me to live in here."

"Well, it's nice to have girls to keep the house."

"Keep the house? Ruin it would be more appropriate. Myan had just broken my ancient antique vase from eastern china, for God's sake."

Fuuko grinned sardonically. "Looks like we're in the same panel."

"Yeah. Both of you are monkeys, dimwits and careless manly female breeds."

A bonk reached Mi-chan's swollen head.

"Well, they seem to be quite kind to you."

"That's the way you see it."

* * *

"Nice woman, huh, Mikagami."

Tokiya's pony-tailed hair shook as he looked at the woman behind him, holding a goblet of red wine.

"It's not a nice habit to drink, I know, if that's what you'll say."

"No. Red wine is good for the heart."

Silence.

"You must drink tons of this then, Mr. Know-it-all." A chuckle escaped Afiura's lips with her own statement.

Then, her laughter died down and her eyes darkened the deepest shades of chocolate.

"Nevertheless, I doubt if that would heal you." Her ring glistened against the moonlight and the city lights six stories below, as the low clinking of the clear chalice blended with the cold night breeze.

_A wedding ring._

_A wedding ring adorned with diamond stones._

"Don't repeat my mistakes, Tokiya. How do you heal a broken heart? Find someone who could. _She_ will."

The soft shaking of Tokiya's head elicited a sigh from his cousin.

"I could do some things without your advices."

'_Stubborn, stubborn kid.'_

* * *

'_What the hell is happening?'_

Fuuko's eyebrows almost knitted together as she once more gaped at Tokiya teaching Recca chemistry.

'_Mi-chan never, ever wanted, or heck, can be forced to, teach Hanabishi Recca.'_

And her eyesight didn't fail her as she saw the piercing gaze of clear blue eyes fall directly on the unknowing flame master.

'_Stranger and stranger…'_

* * *

As if it's not enough for the day, Fuuko was encountered by even more surprises when she got home.

The new, lavish furniture and luggage welcomed her, piling up behind her door.

"Konnichiwa, Kirisawa-san!"

**TBC**

A/N: Ha, ha, ha! Hope yanagi-chyan don't mind me calling her neechan! Well, she is almost (or maybe) twice my age! He, he, he. And she's married! Whoa! Ha, ha, ha. Hope you wouldn't kill me, Afiura-san!

And to Satomika-san, I'm sorry, but I dunno what your age is. That's the reason why I dunno if I must call you neechan too…ha, ha, ha. You are, most probably, female? Well, I'm not sure. Please send me a message or a review for corrections and clarifications! Thanks!

Please, read and review!


	3. Symptom 2: The Change

A/N: Soooo sorry for the late update! I just lost inspiration for a while, but I didn't really plan to abandon this fic, so here's chap two!

Special thanks to all who reviewed!

STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY.

**Chapter 2**

**Symptom 2: The Change**

"That's what you call, Pythagorean Theorem."

Recca scratched his head. "Doesn't matter how it is called, but it sure looks like hell."

Tokiya sauntered over to him. "The final exams cover that."

"Shit!"

Fuuko shook her head as she heard her friend's muttered curse.

"Sure is a handful, but I think I will get it." She mumbled beneath her breath.

Since the first tutoring tirade, Fuuko had received updates of it. And surprisingly (even shockingly) Tokiya readily admitted it with a mysterious glint in his eyes.

"Fuuko-chan? Are you okay?" Yanagi asked her worriedly.

"Uhm, yeah." She nodded in affirmation. "Erm…don't you think Recca and Tokiya had been acting a bit differently nowadays?"

Yanagi looked okay. "Well, isn't that good? They're becoming close."

"Uhm, yeah." She repeated her first answer. Can't Yanagi smell something strange? But she knows the healer; she was pure in thoughts and almost clueless.

'_This is sooo peculiar…'_

* * *

Fuuko yawned as the blonde haired lass beside her talked, okay, babbled all about her new suitors.

'_Celebrities.'_ She thought.

Yes, the woman beside her was none other than Suzu Sakuma, the famous model and singer.

_He new housemate._

She just found it out when she came romping on her house, claiming to be her uncle's daughter.

_Fuuko,_

_I entrust my daughter to you. I know she will be a burden but please do take care of her. I will send extra money for her, her allowance._

_And of course, even though you're her cousin, you do deserve some kind of pay. So I'll send thirty thousand yen there every month for you._

_Yours,_

_Uncle Andrei_

Sure, thirty thousand yen will be much just for accommodating her new housemate, noting that there will be more money sent for Suzu's bills, food and others, but she's not one to completely adore the idea.

It's been only a day since the girl came and she got her whole world _freaked_.

Yes, _freaked_.

"Fuuko? Fuuko are you listening…?"

"What?"

"I said, may I go to the same school as yours?" she pleaded exasperatedly. "Dad will surely be glad that I have at least one acquaintance in my new school."

"That would be great." She mentally rolled her eyes.

'_School's my only escape of this woman…and now…'_

"I'd like to meet new guys." She blabbered on.

"Still not over Matsuura guy?"

"I'm over him. I'm just soooo bored."

"Then, why not settle with your _suitors_?"

"They're boring. I want someone who's mysterious, someone who doesn't slave over me. Someone who's different from the rest, the intellectual, silent types, ya' know?"

"Fine, fine, fine." She waved her hands on her face. "Might as well enroll there."

A bear-crushing hug and a triumphant screech was what she got in reply.

* * *

"Holy Lord, Mi-chan?"

Fuuko's eyes practically bawled out as she gazed at the towering man in front of her, surprised--no, shocked. Completely stupefied.

So the thing she heard from Yanagi was true--Recca was INDEED influencing Mikagami.

"Shut your mouth up, monkey!" he said, teeth gritting. But instead of following what she was asked to do, she looks on in amused disbelief, shaking his shoulders.

"Mi-chan! Of all things, why play…POKEMON?!"

Tokiya totally ignored her and continued pressing on the buttons like frenzy, hair messily tousled, polo disturbingly wrinkled, eyes wandering over big, dark eye bags.

"Ice block! Fridge guy! Chilled silver! MI-CHAN!"

All her efforts to catch his attention were futile as his eyes were determinately focused on the glowing, wide screen in front of him, not caring of all the gazes he's gathering in the local arcade.

Suddenly, a bulb lit up on Fuuko's head.

_She had an idea. A completely marvelous idea…_

* * *

"Kirisawa!"

The whole school shook, the grounds trembled, the students looked on in horror.

For nothing--and no one, could stop Mikagami Tokiya when he's _bursting_ with anger and hatred.

Eyes scorching in blue flame and stomps imprinted on the ground, he continued walking--or should it be, tramping heavily to a certain classroom.

"KIRISAWA FUUKO!"

The door swished open, revealing a very haggard and fuming silver haired bishounen.

"ROUSE YOUR LAZY ASS AND FACE ME!!"

Fuuko practically skipped her way to him, chirping some vibrant tune, entwining her arm in his.

"GET OFF ME!" he said, pushing her away and brushing his arms in disgust. "WHY THE HECK DID YOU DO THAT?!"

Fuuko looked on innocently. "I thought we were friends. Isn't it okay to hold your arm?"

"THAT'S NOT IT!" he bellowed on her face. Composure forgotten, he grabbed both her shoulders and yelled on. "WHO GAVE YOU THE PERMISSION TO TAKE A PICTURE OF ME!!"

"Ah." She nodded naively, as if she doesn't have a clue what he's romping about. "Well, you looked too adorable to resist. I just have to have a remembrance."

Enraged some more, he glared at her. "GIVE IT TO ME! SURRENDER IT! NOW!"

She sweatdropped. "Well, I guess it's _too_ late."

Tokiya's head traveled to the rest of people in Fuuko's class.

And all, yes, all, held his damn picture hogging the arcade video game.

* * *

The shapely blonde lass hummed a lively tune as she listened to her MP3 player, strolling around. She was almost oblivious to all the whistling the guys shot at her; and the glares envious girls darted at her face.

Then, she saw a big crowd ever-growing at the bulletin board.

And she heard two girls chirping to each other.

"Let's go see that picture!" said girl one, squealing like a squeezed lemon. "It's Mikagami-sama's photo, on an arcade!"

"CUUUTE!" girl two agreed, jumping like an tickled kangaroo. "Let's go! I heard Kirisawa took the picture!"

Hearing the name 'Kirisawa'. Suzu's eyes widened.

'_My housemate!'_ she sneaked in the crowd. _'Hmm…le'me see her work 'ere…'_

Squeezing through the thick audience, she muttered the _'excuse me's'_ and passed through.

"Fuuko, I did tell you how I first saw Yuu, right?"

Fuuko looked away, uninterested. Well, she was paid to look after the rich socialite's daughter, so on with it.

"Yah." She answered nonchalantly at the blonde.

After a long silence, Fuuko curiously decided to look at her companion's face.

And the glint there doesn't look so good a sign.

Her eyes widened. "Don't tell me…"

"Yeah." Suzu answered, biting her lip in romantic enthusiasm. "Here he is."

She held out a photo.

And when she looked over it, she realized something.

Indeed, in the picture was Mikagami Tokiya, the picture she took.

* * *

A/N: I know it's hurried.

Some people may be confused on the Yuu and Suzu part. For those who watched MB I don't need to explain, and for those who didn't, here's what it's all about:

To make things simple, please just assume that Suzu Sakuma, Fuuko's new housemate, is a celebrity. She once fell in love with a guy named Yuu Matsuura after seeing the latter's picture. Yuu was in love with another and Suzu had already gotten over Yuu. I related that with Suzu seeing Tokiya's photo.

And yeah, I did figure out from other stories here that Mi-chan suck at video games! (and if he doesn't, then I'll be thrilled to imagine that he does)

Thanks to everyone who read this and please read and review! And of course, more reviews means more inspiration and faster upload! Reviews make my day! Comments, suggestions, critisms, flames all accepted!


	4. Dumb Blondie

A/N: Been a while, eh? I wasn't able to update for a long time, because reading, watching and slaving over Twilight distracted me so much. Now I'm back for another chap.

Thanks to Mi-chan-lover who gave the latest review.

On with the story!

**Chapter 3  
Dumb Blondie**

'_Oh no.'_

It is a perfectly normal day for Kirisawa Fuuko, except for the blonde supermodel that was trailing behind her back and mimicking her every step and turn.

Okay, maybe aside from that, she was wearing the face that could make zombies run and ghosts hide beneath their mum's skirts. There was at least a two meter berth along the corridors made just for her, and the guys knew that if they stepped closer to the new student they would easily be smothered into a charcoaled barbeque.

"Fuu-chan, I don't want to sound too eager…but where's Toki--"

Immediately, Fuuko silenced her companion with a glare. "DON'T. SAY. ONE. MORE. WORD."

If Tokiya's and Tokiya-kun's are edible, Fuuko would be as bloated as Mt. Everest right then. Since her goddamn cousin saw the goddamn picture, she has been bugging her all about the goddamn ice block. That makes her furious. But what makes her even more furious is the fact that she herself had taken that picture. She knows she has put this on herself.

How can she righteously blame Mikagami now?

"There!" Fuuko breathlessly said as she slid the classroom door open. Thirty-five pairs of astonished eyes fell on her and Suzu. ("It's the actress Suzu Sakuma! I'll get her autograph!" said one with twinkling eyes) She pointed her finger viciously at the oblivious Tokiya Mikagami at the corner of the room, who was reading a very thick book and uncaring of everything going on around him. "Go bug him until she shouts the hell of you."

Instead of doing so, the girl beside her froze in her current position. Fuuko was forced to look back at her cousin.

Without warning, baseball sized tears fell off Suzu's eyes. "You're so mean!" she whimpered and rushed out of the room.

Petrified and completely flabbergasted by the unlikely reaction, Fuuko rushed to follow the teen scurrying at the school grounds.

Tokiya looked up from his book and stretched his neck, only to find out everyone in the classroom was looking the empty door. Thinking that maybe it was again Fuuko and her many antics (he had heard a speck of her voice) he shrugged and read on.

* * *

The moment Tokiya opened the door, he knew something was wrong. Both Myan and Satomika cannot be found bashing each other at the living room while watching TV, and Afiura was standing by the sofa facing him.

His eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, she sauntered by him and held out a white envelop. His eyes narrowed slightly at the opened side, but Afiura didn't flinch. He glanced at the back side, to the sender's name.

Takeshi Mikagami.

Fingers moving lithely and casually, careful not to show the resentment and disgust that suddenly grappled him, Tokiya unfolded the paper open. Afiura gave him a few silent minutes before she unfroze and moved to the window.

"Tokiya." She faced him as she called his name in a low voice. "You and I both know what this is. Time is running out. You can't run from this forever."

He was as still as stone as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tokiya, you must think of something--"

Before she can finish, he harshly drew himself away. The woman looked at him with confused eyes.

"I am doing something, okay?!" he shouted at her. Then, he shook his head rapidly, breathing deeply. He clenched and unclenched his fists. Tugging lightly at his ponytail, he turned his back sharply at her and walked away.

Afiura looked at his back with silent, sympathetic eyes.

* * *

Fuuko sat by the school bench, her legs dwindling back and forth. She looked at the falling cheery blossoms atop her. She then proceeded tapping her feet impatiently at the ground. She shook her head and sighed.

She shouldn't have let her go. She knew what would happen.

When she bursted into Mikagami's classroom bashing Suzu, she felt highly embarrassed. She was not sure why, but when she heard _"He must think I'm so aggressive! Of course I'm so gorgeous he still won't resist me…but it won't be as easy as it should've been!"_ from Suzu, she was entirely convinced she was the typical _I'm-so-pretty-and-shallow-too_ actress.

She knew there was no point in trying to comfort her…especially she herself being Fuuko Kirisawa. But she also knew that this girl could complain to his uncle, and off goes her extra thirty thousand yen.

"Look, Suzu…you see, you're such a sweet, beautiful supermodel…" One could just see what she looked like…but of course not tear-filled Suzu. "There are many other guys out there…better than the fridge-boy-I mean, Tokiya. So please--"

Her statement was cut by Suzu, who blew her nose loudly against her silk handkerchief. "NO! I've never, EVER, failed to make a guy fall for me!" she bursted. (Fuuko muttered, "But Yuu did…" by decided it was stupidity to say it loud enough for the blonde to hear.) "They all fall for me, down on their knees! All of them want to adore me, to worship me, to have me! I control them with my fingertips…I won't let one man tarnish my reputation!"

Fuuko could only sweatdrop as she could see the fire burning in her itoko's eyes. Okay. Maybe she was the _I'm-so-pretty-and-shallow-too-but-insufferably-stubborn _type.

The plum-head could only gasp as Suzu grabbed her wrists and looked into her brazenly. "You gotta help me, Fuu-chan!"

"WHAT?" her eyeballs bulged. "ME?"

"Yes!" Suzu nodded vigorously. "Only YOU could help me, Fuu! You are his friend! ("Friend?" Fuuko sweatdropped) You know him! Help me!"

The Fuujin wielder tried to see any means of escape, and she seriously considered bolting out of the door, but at the corner of Suzu's eyes she could block her easily.

"PUH-LEEAZE?" Suzu begged with puppy-dog eyes.

Since Fuuko didn't exactly know how to help her, she started with suggesting that she must tell Mikagami her feelings first. She convinced him to do so by the "Mi-chan can't possibly resist a girl like you!" line. Of course it immediately worked.

But she's still guilty about it. Mi-chan won't like Suzu back, and she knows it.

She twitched. How sure was she that Mi-chan won't like Suzu back?

Suzu Sakuma was ultimately conceited, but she did have every right to be. With her silky, naturally soft golden tresses, large light blue eyes, high cheekbones and nose, taunt, pink lips and flawless skin, she was indeed a goddess of beauty. Even though Yuu Matsuura loves his girlfriend very much, she bet he fantasized about her too at least once. No one can simply ignore her beauty, especially not an uncommitted man like Tokiya Mikagami.

A frown marred her lips. So, there's a big chance.

"ARGH!" she stood up abruptly. "Why am I even worrying about it!"

Everyone's eyes fell on her. Slightly humiliated, she sits back down.

Why does she care? In fact, if Suzu got Mikagami quickly, then her problem about her boy-crazy cousin would be gone. Suzu will be so happy she won't have the heart to leave and she'd probably have thirty thousand yen a month until she graduates high school…

But no. Mi-chan won't like her. And that's final.

_to be continued..._

A/N: Please, please, please review.


	5. Symptom 3: Rejection

A/N: While I'm on it…I better update this.

Thanks to those who reviewed my latest chap, Suryasree, satomika, TuckingFypo (Kikumaru-lover) and midnight sleepyspray.

**Chapter 3  
Symptom 3: Rejection**

She knew it.

When Suzu burst into the room crying like a 5-year old who just lost her candy and stomped her feet all the way upstairs to her room, Fuuko could sigh and follow her silently. She found her crying on her pillow, and she patted her shoulder sympathetically. It was then that the fifteen year old yanked her and hugged her tight she almost turned purple.

"WHY?!" she sobbed and punched the pillows. "Why did he reject me?"

"Um…Suzu…" Fuuko scratched her head. How can she explain without offending her? "It's not that I'm trying to destroy Mi-chan's rep--"

"No! Even if you wanted to, you can't!" she turned to her. "He's the handsomest, smartest and sweetest guy there is in the whole school! In the whole town! He's a perfect gentleman!"

Cringing at the last word she used to describe him, Fuuko tried to interfere before she had more false assumption about the ice man. "Uh, he isn't exactly that. I mean, he's not, um, very fond of admirers…"

"But I'm no average admirer!" she wailed. "I'm Suzu Sakuma! I'm the supermodel, the superstar!"

"Well, yeah." Fuuko agreed, a vein of impatience bulging on her forehead. "But you know…he kinda doesn't care if you're a superstar or not…he's just, well, a lone, lone, wolf."

Everything went silent for five seconds.

"OH!" Suzu suddenly gasped. "Oh, my Toki-kun! So that's why! He's just so, so lonely…so so alone…I should've known…("Hey, that's poetry!" Fuuko interjected) such a perfect guy like him should have a very, very big problem…"

"Uh…" Fuuko tried to interrupt her dreamy monologue. "But YOU do seem perfect in these aspects too…"

"And I have a big problem!" she faltered for a moment, and her expression was so solemn Fuuko almost swore she's going to say something special. "I can't have Toki-kun!"

Fuuko fell on her butt, but Suzu hardly noticed. "I should help him! You know, every lonely prince needs a perfect, affectionate, dazzling princess…"

The wind child almost cried. So her agonies were not over…

"And you're gonna help me, yes, you will…won't you, Fuu-chan?" she looked at her with the same puppy dog eyes and Fuuko was chanting thirty thousand yen in her head just to be able to nod stiffly.

"Great!" Suzu seemed childishly content. But when she turned to hop out of her bed, Fuuko thought she saw a glint in her absent stare and smile that she could not decipher.

* * *

Fuuko can't believe this.

She was only half-awake when Suzu dragged her to school wearing her crumpled uniform to be able to go to the third year classrooms.

"C'mon, Fuuko. We can't be late!" Suzu chirped like a clown. "I hear that Toki-kun is indeed very punctual…I can't give the wrong impression…" ("But you made me wait for three hours when we decided to stroll around town…" Fuuko grumbled)

They sat dumbly by the class A door. (Fuuko was standing but Suzu was sitting down, with a hundred men offering her a chair.) Fuuko almost puked at all the adoring looks the juniors (and deliberately everyone who passed by) were giving her cousin.

When at last she saw a spark of silver in the hallways, Suzu rushed to comb her hair and put on every touch-ups she could manage to make out of her bag. Fuuko groaned internally. Mi-chan didn't seem to see them, and he was concentrated in reading his book. But when he passed by Suzu, Fuuko's ears almost turned into smothered ash.

"TOKI-KUN!" she screamed shrilly, just like any other fan girl Mikagami had. She immediately pounced at him and laced her arm around his. "How're you today, sweetie?"

Fuuko swore she saw the ice block turn a shade paler, and he flinched in shock. But instead of turning away disgustingly, just like how he does so whenever a fan girl gets too desperate, he looks at Suzu cautiously for a second.

"Don't you remember me, honey?" she looked back at him in the eye.

Tokiya proceeded to calmly unwind his arm that was entangled with hers. "Yes, I do remember. I'm running late for class, I'm afraid. I'll see you later at the gate, Suzu."

As Mikagami carefully took his seat inside his classroom, Fuuko felt her jaw drop. This can't be happening. Mi-chan, recalling and recognizing an admirer? And inviting to meet her…in a public place?

This just can't be happening.

* * *

"Suzu Sakuma? The young star who enrolled in our school?"

Yanagi stopped crocheting a sweater for her Recca-kun as Fuuko nodded and sighed. "He didn't stop her from going all over him! He even invited to meet her after classes and walked her home!"

Yanagi watched as Fuuko rounded the room grumpily. Then she shrugged. "Well, I see Sakuma-san sure is beautiful and charming, Fuuko-chan. I am happy that Tokiya-kun is finally starting to have some spark in love…"

"But Yanagi-chan!" Fuuko almost tear her hair out of her scalp. "Suzu Sakuma! The superficial, skinny, materialistic little girl! The shallow, conceited and self-centered actress! Why her, Yan-chan? How…why?"

Yanagi blinked once, twice. "Fuu-chan?"

"What?!" she settled on the couch.

"Why are you so livid?" Yanagi said in a mildly surprised tone. "You see…Tokiya-kun's such a wise man. He'll know for himself if he deserved Sakuma-san or not, if they belonged to each other or not. In time, Fuu-chan. By himself."

It was Fuuko's turn to be surprised.

"Fuuko." Yanagi placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's let Tokiya-kun explore on his own. After all, no matter how experienced he is in combat, he almost has an empty head in love. Let him grow and learn. Everything will be okay."

* * *

Fuuko knew that then, and that was not what she was troubled about. It was not the reason of her sudden, unexpected confusion. She hasn't thought of that. She just thought of Suzu, shallow, worldly Suzu, and Mikagami, together. Walking down the streets, arms laced with each other…it never occurred to her that Mi-chan sure can think for himself. Furthermore, it never occurred to her why she was so furious in the first place.

Fuuko knows she shouldn't, but she just couldn't help herself. She was so morbidly curious about what was going on between Mi-chan and Suzu. When she came home from Yanagi's place, she found Suzu to be missing. She left a letter saying she'd be out for three days, and that she'd be in her father's mansion. Fuuko had no idea why.

So here she was, at the rooftop, waiting for Mikagami's arrival. She had contemplated a hundred times before she slept last night about what commenced between the ice boy and the Blondie. She has to hear it from Mi-chan himself, or she'd never be left at peace.

At last, she heard the door creak. She looked up to see a perfectly emotionless and composed Mikagami standing before her.

"Mi-chan." She said, her voice almost a whisper. Suddenly, she felt her knees buckle ever so slightly. Why? She was so eager for this before, but then she felt like she had been working out for five straight hours.

"What is there so important that a monkey had to call me into meeting her in this place?" he had the teasing smirk on his face, but Fuuko was surprised by the slight softness that marked the grin. "Is this another homework undone? Or is there an asteroid coming and I have to call Superman for you?"

And it made her quiver. What happened that suddenly changed Mi-chan?

"Suzu Sakuma." She simply stated. "You didn't reject her. And you rejected every other suitor."

Fuuko didn't know what to expect from him, but to her utter astonishment, Tokiya laughed coldly. When he looked at her again, the softness was gone. "So? Suzu is different from any other fan girl anyway."

"Tell me what's so special about her." Fuuko clenched her fist. "What is there in her?"

"Can't you see with your own two eyes? Oh, I forgot, you don't have the intellect to process the images correctly in your head." His smirk got bigger. "She's all there is to look for a girl."

Fuuko felt a lump on her throat. "So this all goes down to good looks? To fame? To money?"

Turning his back swiftly on her and walking towards the door, Tokiya replied. "You don't care. You don't know anything."

"Oh, I do." She stomped toward him. "You…you'd never pick a girl like her. You'd never. Not her. Not a girl like Suzu Sakuma. No."

He refused to look at her, and she grabbed his elbow. "What is it, Mi-chan? What is it that made you…?"

"I did." He sighed. "I did reject her, Fuuko." He looked both defeated and subtly appalled. No one could have detected the latter. No one but Fuuko herself.

"What?" it was a whisper. "What? But, why…how?"

"Look here, Fuuko." He faced her and his face was as grave as a judge announcing an execution. "Have you ever had a secret you wanted no one to know? Something that will change what other people think of you, something that will make everything so complicated? Something that you can't accept, because if you did, you will lose yourself in the process?"

The wind bearer had no answer, even when Tokiya opened the door and left.

_to be continued…_

A/N: Reviews make my day.


	6. Secrets

A/N: Sorry for the late update! Tons of requirements (and cramming) for school have completely exhausted my time _and_ my writing muse. Our server won't work! Here's the latest chap!

**Chapter 6**

**Secrets**

Fuuko grumbled loudly and stomped her way down Yanagi's stairs.

Well, for everybody, this was something that was so characteristic of Fuuko Kirisawa. But not for Yanagi. She knew her friend well, and the night before, all she had to do was to look at her to be able to decide that she's awfully out of her senses.

When Fuuko moaned and let herself sink into her seat, Yanagi sighed and joined her. Patting her shoulder gently, she asked, "Are you feeling better, Fuuko-chan?"

Fuuko nodded her head but winced. It was definitely not a good idea to get that drunk. She's not sure if she really gobbled up all five bottles of cold beer by herself. Fuuko wasn't exactly fond of liquor. Okay, to be honest, she hasn't finished a single bottle by herself.

Except that night.

Wrong thought. Impulsively, she grabbed the nearest object to her hand--fortunately it was a nice, fluffy bean bag--and threw it across the room with a force that couldsmash a guy's future. Yanagi flinched and gasped. She waited for Fuuko's huffs and puffs to stop before she tried to calm her in a complacent voice.

"Fuuko-chan." Yanagi smoothed her tangled hair. "Why don't you tell me now what happened? It might lessen the load."

"Oh, great." The wind child rolled her eyes. "As if you haven't heard the whole story last night."

Yanagi _does_ think she has a pretty good idea why, from all the almost incoherent mutters and curses the purple-head had sputtered on her drunken fit. But still, she wanted to be sure and set things straight.

"You're upset about Tokiya-kun."

"_Upset?!_" Fuuko exclaimed. "I'm not upset, of course not! I'm furious, seething, livid…!"

Fuuko cut off by herself when she started loosing a grip of her control.

"Fuuko-chan." Yanagi said patiently. "I understand. Now please tell me the story, no exaggeration whatsoever. Procrastinating this doesn't help."

The other felt like defending herself and saying what she said was no more than the truth. But Yanagi was right, how can she unload her chest if she didn't tell her? The sooner the better.

"After he let her filthy hands on him in _public_, the goddamned ice block told me he rejected my goddamned cousin! The ass had the nerve to tell me that he had goddamned secrets to keep AFTER all we all went through risking our lives at that horrible life-and-death Urabutousatsoujin! And that fucking girly guy even saw a glimpse of my body! I hate him! He's such an insensitive, incorrigible--"

"FUUKO!" Yanagi waved her hands in front of the girl. "I swear to all my ancestors that I didn't understand one word of what you're saying. Please. Try to calm down and we will talk. Now tell me the whole story."

The Fuujin wielder did try her best to explain things properly (the occasional twist of colorful curses which adorned her narration was to be expected). Yanagi kept her silence all throughout the story, and when it was over, her confusion was apparent.

"Tokiya-kun _actually_ rejected Suzu Sakuma?" Yanagi asked in a level voice. "I have to admit, she's a goddess."

A strange, unnamed pang of pain strangled Fuuko. Wherever she went, Suzu turned heads. When _she_ passes by men, they cower and shrivel away.

Hmm, not exactly what men want. Feminine, gentle, beautiful, skilled women…

"Suzu left after he rejected him…that makes sense. She's probably heartbroken." Yanagi sighed sympathetically, though Fuuko knew the healer had not known Suzu for long. "If he said he discarded her because he was not interested, I would not believe. Tokiya-kun, no matter how noble and cold he is, is still a teenage guy. He couldn't even have interacted with a fan so much in public if she was ordinary. A firm reason has to be there."

"A secret he won't tell us." Yanagi continued. "What secret? He knows he could trust us, Fuuko-chan. He could trust us and he knows we'll accept him no matter what."

"Yes. Yes, we will." Fuuko agreed, firm and assured. But Yanagi's words made an impact.

What if it was really, _really_, horrible? What if he actually murdered a person? Or if he was a spy of the Uruha? Or if he was actually a monster? Would she accept him? _Could_ she?

But the moment she asked herself the question, she already knew the answer. Yes, still, she would have him, no matter who he was, what he's done and whatever wrong he had committed.

Because Mi-chan meant so much to her. He was her defendant, her companion, her comrade, her friend.

* * *

"Mikagami-kun!"

Upon hearing the squeals thrown towards him, Tokiya already knew he was in trouble. On cue, he ran full speed to the opposite direction. Inevitably, the girls followed. But Tokiya was already far out, even when he was carrying a sack of hardbound books.

Hah. After all the mobs women had when he's around, the Ensui master already knew that escaping was the best, most dignified way to protect himself. If only he could move as fast in Pokemon.

Why couldn't he just beat Kirisawa in the stupid game? Maybe his intellect was so superior it cannot copy monkey skills.

_Speaking of the devil._

As Tokiya saw Fuuko at the end of the corner to his only way to his room, he expected hell to break lose from her fury. Still, he stood straight and walked toward her unfalteringly, his moment of indecision not long enough for anyone to detect. But to his utter astonishment, she jerked and beamed.

"Mi-chan!"

Eyes wide, he stopped walking. She smacked him at the arm. "What's with the drama? You're as stiff as an ice block, though we don't exactly need a comparison for two same species."

"Kirisawa." Tokiya recovered quickly. "What on Earth's fuck made you throw this racket here? I'm on my way to class, and please don't try to prevent my brain from absorbing some information just because yours can't."

With a growl, Fuuko punched him. "Go back to ice age era, Mi-chan!"

With a swift turn, he headed for his classroom. Fuuko was left behind with a shell shocked Yanagi.

"Fuuko-chan." She mumbled in confusion. "Why…what?"

With a light but sad smile, Fuuko turned to Yanagi. "I know Mi-chan. Yan-chan, he's a caged man. No holes, walls up all the time. Do you think he's open up if I nagged him everyday? That would make him stay on his guard even more. But if I…"

"If you tried to pry loose and play it easy, he might even feel secure that his secret will be taken care of." Yanagi's lips broke into a smile. "Excellent thinking, Fuuko-chan."

"I can't brood all day. I don't have to waste all those time. Mi-chan may be suffering right now." Fuuko held Yanagi's hand. "I'm going to know what it is. I'm going to help him."

With a mute nod, Yanagi smiled again. Definitely, Mi-chan was a book written in an alien language, a language only Fuuko can understand.

* * *

"You can't do this to me."

The tall woman turned to the direction of the deep, baritone, commanding voice she now loathed, the source of it sitting on a big revolving chair behind the table.

"No, _you_ can't do this to _us_. You can't use us. Not anymore."

Suzu Sakuma walked out of the immense, lavish office, leaving the man clenching his fists in silent fury.

_to be continued…_

A/N: Short, I know. But I have to arrange things for now.


End file.
